Mechanical caddy



20, 1946- I R. E. ALLEN I 2,406,183

MECHANICAL cAnny Filed on. 21.}1944 eets- Sheet 1 N ENTOR;

. ATTORNEY J P AN en Aug. 20,1946

MECHANICAL OADDY' Filed 001;.21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet-Z IN VEN TOR.

- 54zm Allen ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 20, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE]; i Y '2,406,183' I JMECHA'NICAL oAnnY m 7 Ralph E. Allen, Wichita, Kans. 1 v w I Application October 21, 1944, Serial No. 559,867

My invention. relates" to an. improvementin mechanical caddies. The object'of my invention is to provide a. mechanical caddyflwhereby a golf player may omit the' caddy boy and carry hisgolf club bag on the mechanical caddy.v

Another object is to provide a mechanical caddy that is light in weight, one that is "simple in structure, easy to make, and one that is substantial, durable, long lived, and one that is easy to move around, and handy to use.

A still further object is to provide a mechanical caddy of the kind mentioned that is adjustable so as to receive and hold any size golf club bag, and to hold the bag and golf )clubs therein, in a substantially balanced position over the axle of the mechanical caddy so that the caddy may be pushed over the golf course with ease and the golfplayerwill have to carry little or no load of the caddy, golf club bag and golf clubs therein. A still further object is to provide a mechanical caddy of the kind mentioned that is collapsible so that it may be compactly folded up for transport purposes. These and other objects will be more. fully explained as this description progresses.

Now referring to'the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front 'elevationalview of my improved mechanical caddy.

Fig. 2 is a side and sectional view of :my improved mechanical caddy, the view being taken along the line 11-11 in Fig. 1 and looking in direction of the arrows. I

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my improved me chanical caddy as shown in-Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view of my improved mechanical caddy having a golf club bag therein and being tipped to show how the bag is substantially balanced over the axle of the caddy.

' Fig. 5 is a side View of the mechanical caddy in the collapsed or folded position.

Similar numerals of reference designate the by a third cross member [4 that is tubular in.

form and over laps the upper ends of the frame members l and II. The cross members 12, I3 and M are all rigidly attached, preferably by welding, to the framemembers' l0 and l I. The lower endsof the frame members Ill'and H swing thev 6'Clai1ns. (Cl. 280-36) outwardly in opposite directions to formaxle members I (la and I la on which is revolvably mounted wheels I5and it that are preferably provided with pneumatic tires l1 and IBLQA t I9 is shown a fourthcross member that'is' fitted between the lower curved portions of the frame members l0 and II and in alignment with the axles Illa and Ila and being welded thereto to strengthen and increase the rigidity of the frame.

The frame is provided with a handle membr that is V-shaped and the lower ends of the. legs 20. and ZI'are pivotallymounted at 22 and 23 on the tubular crossmember [4. At the j'oinder ofv the outer ends of the legs 20 and 2| is'a handle member 24 that is rigidly mounted thereon. The legs 20, and 2| are bent slightly at the point A to provide for compact folding of the handle member shown in Fig. 5. Adjacent the ends of. the legs 20 and 2| and therebetween is rigidly' fixed preferably by welding, a cross member 25' to which is pivotally attached, at the central portion thereof as at 26a, one end of a link member. 26. At 21 and 28 is a pair of clamp elements spanning across the frame members Ill and II and the ends. thereof are fashioned to slidably engage opposite sides of the frame members 10 and II. The clamp elements 21. and '23 are bound together by a bolt 29 that passes through the clamp members 21 and 28 and which is 'provided with a wing nut 30 that is threaded on the. bolt 29 to bear against the clamp member 28 whereby the turning of the wing nut 30 onthe bolt 29 will clamp the clamp members 21 and."

. on the frame members It! and H at any selected point up and down the frame members In and positioned and held at selected angles relative to.

the frame members [0 and l I, and the handle portion 20'2l-24 may be folded against the frame members IO and l I as shown inFig. 5 The device is provided with a golf club bag supporting platform B that has a curvedfront portion 32 that merges into a pair of parallelpositioned and rearwardly extending and upward,- ly directed leg elements 33 and. that are pivotally attached at 35 and 36 to mounting arms 31 and 38 that are rigidly mounted on andextend forward from their respective axle ele-. ment Illa and Ila. The rear portion v,fof-Jthe platform B is provided with an elevated curved" and then welded to the platform legs 33 and 34.

Directly beneath the elevated curved guard 39,

and lying in the same plane with the curved platform member B is a second platform cross member 39a, the ends of which are also welded to the element 32.

Between the platform frame members 32 and 39a is positioned a pair of platform floor bars 32:1:

and 32 oneend of.each floor bar 32m and 3211 being rigidly attached, preferably by welding, to the frame member 390. and the other ends of the floor bars 323: and 3211 being rigidly attached,

preferably by welding, to the curvedplatform member 32. a

At the central point of the elements39: and.

39a is a transversely positioned element 40, that is welded to both platform elements39"and-39a;

element 4 t e other endlof the link element 42 .is pivotally" connected at 43 to a bolt 44.jth'at'passes throughi'a pair of clamp plates 45"'a nd"46that:are positioned one on either side of the'fra'me' members, lll'and H, and the ends of the clamp plates,45and 46 are fashionedllto fit around the frame; members H] and H and arexslidable up and down thereon. The bolt 44 isiprovided with a wing nut 41 that is-threaded on thebolt 44 so that by the turning of the wing nut 41"wi1l'pul1 the clamp pIatesASand 46 toward each' other to rigidly clamp them on the frame elements l'flzand' II at any desired point up and down the frame members HLand II for adjustment. of the'golf' club bag supporting. platform Bas will later be described.

Adjacent the upper end. of the frame members [Band I Ibis-a bracket support plate 48that spans across the'frame members wand ll andthe ends of'tlie pl'ate 48are welded to the frame members In and ll. Rigidly. attached to, or integrally formed. on, thecentral portion of the platev 48 is an: outwardly projectingtubular element '49 in which'is slidably mounted a pin 56.0n which is rigidly' mounted. an' arcuate support bracket the ends of.which are. provided with eyes 5.2.

and 53lthrough which is threaded a binding strap 541thatisprovided with a. buckle 55,-jto adjustably. hold thelloose end'of" the strap 54 aswillbe readily understood. The sleeve 49' is cut longitudinally on one side and is'provid'edwitha wing bolt 56. that is threaded therethrough', whereby the'turning of the wing bolt 56 will contractthe, sleeve 49 to rigidly bind and-hold the bracket pin'fi'llin adjusted in or outpositions.

The'mechanical 'caddymay be folded into a compact outfit'asshown in Fig. 5'f or transportation purposes. The mechanical caddy may bev prepared for use by loosening the wingnut 41, whereupon the clamp. members 45 and 46 are. loosenedion the frame members in and H so.

that they will'slide. thereon. This being done,

the golf "club bag supporting platform B. may be swung downwardly to the position shown .in Fig. 2 and the wingnut "may then be tightened. to clamp the clamp members 45 and 4.610 1 the. frame members It) and H, wherebythe link. 4-2 rigidly holds the golf club supporting platform .3 in its adjusted position so that it will. be supported on the wheels [1' and I8 and theplatform 4' 1 device to stand up as shown in Fig. 2. This being done, the wing nut 30 may be loosened whereby the clamp elements 21 and 28 are loosened on the frame members [0 and l l and are slidable thereon, whereby the handle portion 20--2l-24 may beset at any desired angle to the frame I0H as indicated in'Fig. 2 and the wing. nut,

30 then tightened to rigidly bind the clamp elements 2'! and 28 on the frame members If] and II so that-the link 26 rigidly holds the handle portions 2B-2l-24 in its adjusted angular position as shown in Fig. 2. I The mechanical caddy having been prepared as above described, a golf club bag 56 may be set on' the golf club bag supporting platform 13 with the upper end of the bag resting againstjthat portion of the strap 54 that lays in the curve ofathe 'arcuated support bracket 5|, the strap 54 being passed around the top of the-bag 56 and the ends being buckled together to firmly hold the bagjfi in place as shown inFigefl.

The. golf club bag. having beenipl'aced'j in the mechanical caddy as above described, 'theplatform B may be rocked upor down by loosening the wing nut 4'l'and sliding the clamp '45-46 up or down whereby the golf *club bag maybe so adjusted that it may be.aboutbalanced'across the vertical axis a.-' a when the caddy andibag 56'is in a tilted position such as shown in Fig.4. Also,'the handle element 20-'-2l--24"may be ad-.

justed to any desired a'nglewith' respect to the shown and described .my invention, what I claim 7 1. In a mechanical caddy, the. combination .'of. a frame, an axle on said frame, .wheelson said axle, a handle element, and. a. golf bag. support; ing platform, and an upper support for the upper; end of a golf club bag, said'handle element being. pivotally adjustable ontheupper portion. of said frame and having, link means for holding, said handle 'element in selected adjustable. positions relative to said frame," and... means for holding saidgolf club bag. supporting, platform in selected adjusted. positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said support for the upper endof the golf club bag .in selected spaced positions from the frame..

2. In a mechanicahcaddy as defined inclaim 1, the. adjusted position of; the said golf .-club' bag supporting platform serving to holdthe golf club bag in adjusted positionv up. and down theframe to substantially balance the golf club. bag across a vertical axis passing through the center of theaxle when. the. frame is. in. varied angular position relative to said: vertical axis, the in. and out adjustment of said support for theupper end. of the golf club bag: serving tobalance the golf. club. bagacross. the aforesaid verticalxaxis.-.

3. In a mechanical. caddy; a-frame, an axle on said. frame, wheels on said axle, a handleelement, and a golf club bag supporting platform; and an. upper support for the upper end of a. golf club bag,v said handle elementlbeingadjustable on the upper portion of said-frame, and means. for holding said handle element-in related-adjustablev positions relative to-said frame, and. Y means for .hold-ingsaid golf club;' bag supporting.- platform in selected .adj usted. positionsarelative means for holding said handle element in selected adjustable positions relative to said frame being a link and clamp device, one end of said link being pivotally connected to said handle element, the other end of said link being pivotallyconnected to said clamp element, said clamp element being slidable on said frame, and means for clamping said clamp elements on said frame in selected positions on the frame.

4. In a mechanical caddy, a frame, an axle on said frame, wheels on said axle, a handle element, and a golf club bag supporting platform and an upper support for the upper end of a golf club bag, said handle element being pivotally adjustable on the upper portion of said frame, and means for holding said handle element in selected adjustable positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said golf club bag supporting platform in adjusted positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said support for the upper end of the golf club bag in selected spaced positions from the frame, said means for holding said golf culb bag supporting platform in selected adjusted positions relative to the said frame being a link and clamp device, one end of the said link being pivotally connected to the central rear portion of the golf club bag supporting platform, the other end of said link being pivotally connected to the said clamp device, said clamp device being slidably mounted on the frame, and means on said clamp device for clamping the clamp device on the frame in selected positions up and down on the frame.

5. In a mechanical caddy; a frame, an axle on said frame, wheels on said axle, a handle element, and a golf club bag, supporting platform, and an upper support for the upper end of a golf club bag, said handle element being pivotally adjustable on the upper portion of the said frame, and means for holding said handle element in selected adjustable positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said golf club bag supporting platform in selected adjusted positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said support for the upper end of the golf club bag in selected spaced positions from the frame, said means for holding said support for the upper end of the golf club bag in selected spaced positions from the frame being a tubular element carried by the frame, a pin slidable in said tubular element and an arcuate rest on said pin, and means for'clamping said pin in said tube for the rigid holding thereof in adjusted in and out positions, and flexible means carried by the arcuate rest for attachment to the upper end of a golf bag.

6. In a mechanical caddy; a frame, an axle on said frame, wheels on said axle, a handle element, and a golf club bag supporting platform, and an upper support for the upper end of a golf club bag, said handle element being pivotally adjustable on the upper portion of said frame, and means for holding said handle element in selected adjustable positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said golf club bag supporting platform in selected adjusted positions relative to said frame, and means for holding said support for the upper end of the golf club bag in selected spaced positions from the frame, said frame being a pair of parallel positioned elements spaced apart, the lower ends of said pair of parallel positioned elements being curved in opposite directions so that the ends thereof are in alignment with each other to form the axle for the caddy supporting wheels, and m ans for holding said parallel positioned frame members in definite fixed spaced relationship to each other.

RALPH E. ALLEN. 

